I remember you, I remember seeing you on the backbenches, liking you, admiring your wit running rings around the opposition. I remember believing you about the weapons of mass-destruction. I remember voting for you, and standing by that vote.

What did you become? I can't imagine what the choices were, and hindsight's 20/20, but the idea is not always to win, especially if it just means becoming a clone of the presently victorious. There must be a principle behind the desire. What was your principle? What was at the heart of your urge to power?

The party must surge in whatever direction represents those citizens ignored or deplored by the current government. This is what an opposition does. And if those ideas take hold, if they make sense, the people may follow, but even if they don't, at least the voiceless will have some representation. Someone somewhere must say and keep saying, 'They need help, they have no money...' someone must stand up for the NHS, the welfare state, the poor, the disabled... It must be done. That constant observation of the state's weaknesses and strengths, the struggle between ideologies to balance the needs of all, is necessary to the nation's health. Insubordinates are powerful and useful in society; they point at where the weakness lies. A decent insubordinate might have done you some good, way back then, some good for you and for democracy.

You remember democracy, don't you Tony?

I know they played you false, but you played false too, and you weren't even smart about it. So now, get properly involved or stay quiet. Seems to me your day is done.